Color Scheme

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An aesthetic color scheme is mandatory. Color has significant affective connotation (subjective response) associated with it and it is relatively arbitrary in the sense of being a reflex based on the retention (or non-erasure) of a correlated pre-existing attitude and emotion setting, and "significance of color" in terms of the effective user response (the affective shapes the effective) is therefore necessarily to be regarded as culture and history specific.

Colors are like music and need to be combined with an understanding of harmony and melodic structure. A small amount of color goes a long way, and a common design flaw is in the over-use of color, in terms of excess saturation, density, or variety. The tones need to be relaxed and calming, not garish and noisy. There is plenty of screen clutter and over-busy pages on the Internet, and the website here is to be like a home or office which is comfortable, relaxing, and refreshing to dwell in, coming off the Internet highway with its high amplitude chromatic jumble of flashing neon signs exhorting one to click and spend, hollering for attention, and even auditory chaos. For a more quiet and peaceful setting, a few pastel tones are used. A split complementary scheme is a culture-safe model to follow.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001


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